Harbhajan Singh took the wicket of Shahid Afridi to sway the match India's way one final time. —Photo by AFP
Harbhajan Singh took the wicket of Shahid Afridi to sway the match India's way one final time. —Photo by AFP

MOHALI: India beat Pakistan by 29 runs on Wednesday to set-up a World Cup final against Sri Lanka in Mumbai on Saturday.

Pakistan, chasing 261 for victory, were dismissed for 231 in the face of a disciplined effort by India under the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium floodlights.

India’s 260 for nine, after winning the toss, was built around Sachin Tendulkar’s 85.

But they might have made considerably less had not the ‘Little Master’ been dropped four times in an innings that still left him one short of a hundred international hundreds.

Left-arm fast bowler Wahab Riaz led Pakistan’s attack with career-best figures of five for 46.

India’s victory meant they’d won all five of their World Cup matches against arch-rivals Pakistan and kept alive the 37-year-old Tendulkar’s dream of lifting the trophy for the first time in his illustrious career.

Brief scores India 260-9 (Sachin Tendulkar 85; Wahab Riaz 5-46) v Pakistan 231 all out in 49.5 overs (Misbah-ul-Haq 56, Mohammad Hafeez 43)

India won by 29 runs.

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